


No Good For You

by stylesoftheshire



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fluff, Infidelity, M/M, Pining, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-03-17
Updated: 2013-03-17
Packaged: 2017-12-05 13:53:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/724017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stylesoftheshire/pseuds/stylesoftheshire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zayn has a thing for his brother's boyfriend. And his brother's a complete knobhead.</p>
            </blockquote>





	No Good For You

Zayn stood in front of his bedroom mirror, trying to gauge whether he looked casual and comfortable or just homeless – experience had taught him that it was often a fine line. 

He smoothed his hands over the thin white t-shirt he had chosen, pressing it against his skin so his tattoos peeked through, and gave his reflection a little smile. His jogging bottoms sat low on his hips, grey and baggy, revealing the waistband of his boxers whenever he stretched, and he would be making a point to do so. He left his hair unstyled, instead just combing through it until it was smooth and his fringe fell over his forehead, soft and floppy.

He checked the clock on his bedside table and his stomach fluttered with nerves when he realised it was nearly time, making him feel like a twelve-year-old girl instead of an eighteen-year-old boy. He steeled himself, breathing deeply with a reminder to play it cool, but when the doorbell rang five minutes ahead of schedule that all went out the window.

‘I’ll get it!’ he yelled hurriedly, throwing himself forward to yank his bedroom door open.

He hurtled down the stairs two at a time, one hand on his fringe to keep it flat and the other outstretched in front of him like he was reaching for the person who waited on the other side of the door.

He landed at the foot of the stairs with a thump and adjusted his clothes, willing his voice not to do anything embarrassing as he unlocked the door and opened it wide.

‘Hey, Zayn!’ Liam said brightly, nose and cheeks pink from the weather.

Zayn smiled at him, ducking his head slightly so he had to look up through his thick eyelashes.

‘Alright?’ he asked casually. He flicked his fringe out of his eyes, hoping Liam would notice – he had been the one who told him the week before that he preferred it when he wore his hair down.

‘Yeah, I’m good,’ Liam grinned. ‘How have you been?’

Zayn shrugged and slid one hand up the door, stretching so his t-shirt rode up. His heart leapt when Liam’s eyes flickered downward briefly. ‘I’ve been alright, thanks.’

Liam positively beamed at him. ‘Good stuff. Can I come in? It’s a bit cold out here.’

Zayn chuckled and stood to the side. ‘Of course, make yourself at home.’ 

He purposely held himself a little away from the hallway wall, making it impossible for Liam to pass without brushing against him.

‘Let me take that,’ he offered, reaching for Liam’s coat as he shrugged it off. He hung it on the peg next to his own leather jacket – he liked the way they looked together.

‘Aren’t you a gentleman,’ Liam joked, turning away into the living room before he could see the faint blush on Zayn’s cheeks.

Zayn laughed awkwardly and followed him inside, dropping down at the other end of the sofa from where Liam sat with his hands clasped in his lap. He always looked like he was on his best behaviour, a trait that Zayn found annoying in others but endearing in him.

He was just about to ask Liam how his exams had gone when he heard the familiar thudding of his brother coming down the stairs, and watched with a sinking heart as Liam turned attentively like an expectant puppy.

Zayn leant back in his seat tiredly as Liam bounced out of his own, eager to greet Saabir when he swung around the doorframe into the room.

‘Hey, gorgeous,’ he drawled, wrapping an arm around Liam’s waist and pulling him in for a long kiss that made Zayn’s stomach churn. ‘Sorry I kept you waiting.’

Zayn snorted. He knew his brother wasn’t sorry.

He tried to blot out Liam’s mumbled sentiments, curling his hands into fists when he heard Saabir return them and wondered why Liam couldn’t hear how empty they were. He wanted to pull them apart and tell Liam the truth, but he couldn’t bear to watch his sweet, innocent face crumple. 

He had no idea how he could ever look him in the eye and tell him about all the guys Saabir had brought back late at night, how many lies he’d had to listen to when Liam was on the phone and Saabir was making an excuse as to why he couldn’t see him, only to slip out the door with a strip of condoms stuffed in his wallet five minutes later.

As much as Zayn wanted to save Liam from his brother, he never wanted to hurt him.

‘Shall we go upstairs?’ Saabir whispered, sounding so sleazy to Zayn’s ears.

Liam giggled and Zayn felt sick, slumping down on the sofa and turning his face into the cushions. 

When Saabir had first told him he had a new boyfriend, Zayn had expected someone a bit rougher around the edges, someone who had a looser meaning of the word ‘relationship’ or at least someone closer to his age, but Liam was eighteen, like him, six years younger than Saabir.

Age gaps had never been a problem for Zayn, but it was just something to add to the list along with all the other mismatches in their personalities. Liam was nothing like the other boys Saabir had brought home, he was so amicable and honest, and Zayn just hoped that it would be a fling like all the others. At least then Liam would be free to move on and find someone he deserved. 

_I wouldn’t treat him like that_ , he found himself thinking, at first not meaning that he wanted the chance to prove it. 

It was only after a month that he realised his concern for Liam’s feelings was motivated by an underlying crush and it prompted Zayn into his first confrontation with his brother, demanding why he kept stringing Liam along when he always seemed to have a supply of guys ready to jump into bed with. Saabir gave no real answer, nor did he give one in the subsequent discussions until, after six months, Zayn gave up and just waited for the day when Liam would see him for his true colours.

‘Come on then,’ Saabir muttered.

‘Yeah, just a sec. Hey, Zayn?’

He shot upright when Liam said his name, seeing him hovering in the doorway as Saabir disappeared up the stairs.

‘Yeah?’ 

Liam smiled and Zayn questioned for the thousandth time what a guy like him was doing with a guy like his brother, completely oblivious to all of his wrongdoings.

‘I like your hair,’ he said softly. ‘I’m glad you listened to me.’

Zayn felt his cheeks burn and said without thinking, ‘I’ll always listen to you,’ immediately feeling like a twat, but managing to keep up the eye contact that always made him want to stare a little longer and turn away at the same.

Liam didn’t seem to notice his discomfort and just grinned good-naturedly at him before slipping out of the room. 

Once he heard Saabir’s bedroom door close, Zayn hauled himself up and pulled his phone from his pocket.

_‘Liam’s over again. Can I come to yours?’_

He was glad when his phone buzzed no less than a minute later, Harry’s name flashing up on his screen.

**‘I’m at Louis’ but he says you can come here :) x’**

He shook his head fondly – he should have known they’d be together. 

_‘Sure I won’t be interrupting anything? :P x’_

He was already in the hallway removing his jacket from the peg next to Liam’s when he got Harry’s reply.

**‘Nah we just finished ;) I’ll make sure Lou has pants on when you get here x’**

Zayn half-groaned in exasperation and half-laughed, tapping out a quick message before letting himself out of the house.

_‘No threesome then? x’_

**‘Lou says only when we’re drunk ;) x’**

Zayn chuckled. That had certainly been one of the more interesting house parties he had been to.

-

‘I don’t see why you can’t just tell him,’ Louis shrugged. ‘He might find out the hard way if you don’t.’

Zayn swung himself from side to side in Louis’ desk chair distractedly. ‘You know why I can’t. It’d crush him.’

‘Surely you’d rather he was told by someone who cares about him though?’ Louis pressed. ‘I mean, if Harry was cheating on me —‘

Harry’s head shot up from Louis’ lap, looking alarmed. ‘I would never cheat on you!’

Louis’ expression turned soft and he hushed his boyfriend gently. ‘I know you wouldn’t, Curly. This is just hypothetical.’ Harry relaxed back into him and Louis’ fingers resumed their threading through his unruly hair. 

‘As I was saying, if Harry started cheating on me and you knew about it, I would expect you to tell me. Saab obviously doesn’t care enough about Liam to tell him.’

‘Which is why he’s cheating in the first place,’ Harry chipped in.

‘Yeah, whereas you do care about him,’ Louis continued. ‘You’ve gone on about him so much I could probably paint his portrait and I’ve never even seen him.’

‘Except you can’t draw for shit,’ Zayn said wryly.

Louis rolled his eyes. ‘Not my point. If you care about Liam as much as you say you do then you should tell him. Shouldn’t he?’ He looked down at Harry who was observing Zayn pensively.

‘I don’t know, Lou,’ he said slowly. ‘I can see why he wouldn’t want to. Can you imagine having to tell someone that?’

‘You see my dilemma,’ Zayn sighed, flinging his arms wide.

‘Yeah, but like, what if he finds out you knew all along?’ Louis persisted. ‘Then he’s going to be pissed off at you as well and you’ll have no chance, mate.’

Zayn sagged and stopped swinging in the chair. ‘Hadn’t thought of that.’

‘But how would Liam find out?’ Harry asked, peering up at his boyfriend.

Louis raised an eyebrow at him and pulled his mouth to the side. ‘You think Saabir won’t tell him?’ he challenged. ‘If he’s going down he’ll drag everyone he can with him, he’s always been a knob like that.’ He looked up at Zayn, adding as an afterthought. ‘No offence.’

Zayn shrugged. ‘Not offending me, it’s true. I once got grounded because I didn’t tell my parents he nicked some alcohol from their cabinet for a party, even though he told me he’d give me a dead arm if I said anything. Probably didn’t think twice about snitching on me when he was caught sneaking in at 3am though.’

‘Prick,’ Harry muttered. ‘Why is Liam even with him? You’re always saying how nice he is and then there’s your brother.’ He shuddered theatrically. ‘I wouldn’t even think you two were related if it weren’t for the way you both look like Gucci models.’

‘Easy, Styles,’ Louis scolded jokingly, tugging at his hair. ‘Only when we’re drunk, remember?’

Harry smacked his thigh lightly. ‘Not what I meant, idiot. Our Zayn is a delight whereas Saab is a total tool.’

‘I wouldn’t mind if I wasn’t actually related to him,’ Zayn grumbled. ‘I know family is meant to be held in high honour and all that, but it’s like he doesn’t care about anyone but himself. Don’t see why he hasn’t moved out yet either.’

‘How old is he again?’ Harry asked, pulling himself upright so he could lean his head against Louis’ shoulder. ‘Twenty-three?’

‘Twenty-four,’ Zayn grimaced. ‘And he still gets mum to do everything for him. He’s fucking hopeless.’

‘I say tell Liam,’ Louis declared, slipping an arm around Harry’s waist. ‘That way you’re the hero.’

‘I don’t care about being the hero,’ he insisted. ‘I just don’t want him to get hurt.’

‘Aww, Zayn,’ Harry cooed. ‘You are so smitten.’

Zayn glared at him.

‘And he’s already getting hurt,’ Louis pointed out. ‘He just doesn’t know it yet.’

He rubbed his hands over his face despairingly, feeling torn. ‘I can’t tell him.’

‘Can’t or won’t?’ Harry tested with a cheeky smile.

Zayn glared at him again. ‘Both,’ he clarified. ‘I mean, I could say something, but like, what if he doesn’t believe me? What if he thinks I’m just saying it so I can go out with him instead?’

‘You think he knows you like him?’ Louis asked, tilting his head so it rested on Harry’s. Harry hummed happily.

Zayn shrugged, feeling a little bitter discussing his love life with a couple who couldn’t stop being adorable even if they tried. ‘Dunno.’

‘Then I’d say you’re safe,’ Louis dismissed, slipping his fingers back into Harry’s hair. ‘And if you’re worried about him not believing you then you could get evidence or something.’

‘Evidence?’ Zayn raised an eyebrow cynically. ‘I’m not going through Saab’s bin looking for used condoms.’

Harry pulled a face. ‘I think what Lou meant was that you could, I don’t know, use your phone to record Saabir inviting someone round? Or film him coming in with another guy?’ Louis nodded in agreement and Zayn could have vomited for Harry’s proud little smile.

‘I guess I could,’ he said hesitantly. ‘Just seems like I’d be sneaking around. Might make me look a bit dodgy.’ He paused. ‘No, I don’t know… maybe. I don’t know.’ 

Louis groaned dramatically. ‘Fine! Wait for Liam to walk in on Saabir fucking someone else and then explain to him why, in all the months you knew it was happening, you didn’t say anything! Don’t come crying to us when his heart breaks and he won’t let you pick up the pieces.’

‘Louis!’ Harry admonished, frowning. ‘Don’t be so mean.’ He sat forward a little so he could rest his hand on Zayn’s shoulder. ‘You can always come to us, mate. Just don’t expect us not to say we told you so.’

Zayn nodded grimly.

-

‘I’m going out.’

Zayn looked up from his book. ‘I thought Liam was coming over?’

Saabir paused momentarily in his assessment of his hair before shrugging indifferently. ‘Just tell him I got called into work.’

Zayn could feel the anger in his chest boiling down to his fingers, making his hands shake. 

‘And where are you actually going?’

‘Mike’s place, I think.’ He turned away from the mirror and winked. ‘Says he’s got something to show me.’

‘And that’s worth ditching Liam last minute?’ Zayn’s nostrils flared as he spoke.

Saabir scoffed. ‘Don’t start with all that again. I’m just having a bit of fun.’ 

Zayn snapped his book shut. ‘Does Liam know that though? Is he just a bit of fun too? You’re stringing him along, Saab.’

‘Of course he doesn’t know,’ he replied, sounding patronising, like Zayn was the one acting like an idiot. ‘If he knew then I’d lose my sure thing.’

Zayn’s lip curled up in disgust. ‘Is that all he is to you?’

Saabir shrugged one shoulder, reaching for his phone and keys. ‘Maybe. Even if he is, he’s not going to find out because you wouldn’t be stupid enough to tell him, would you?’

‘And what if I did?’ he dared.

‘Are you threatening me?’

‘I think you’ll find that you threatened me first,’ Zayn retorted, folding his arms across his chest.

Saabir eyed him suspiciously before approaching him and leaning in close so their faces were just centimetres apart.

‘Listen here, you little shit,’ he hissed. ‘You say a thing to Liam about any of this and I will make you wish you were never born, got it?’

Zayn narrowed his eyes, feeling like he could probably say he loathed his brother in that moment.

‘Whatever you say.’

It was enough for Saabir and he backed off, slamming out of the house. 

Zayn threw his book at the wall and let the angry tears spill over.

-

Liam was always on time and when he wasn’t on time he was early like he really couldn’t wait to see Saabir, even though he had pulled the wool over his eyes with the sickly sweet things he whispered in his ear, woven in with the lies.

When the doorbell rang no less than an hour after the door had closed behind Saabir, Zayn instantly felt nauseated. It wasn’t the first time he’d had to cover for his brother and he always hated himself for lying to Liam, but he didn’t have the balls to do anything else.

He didn’t even bother checking his reflection on the way to the door and opened it reluctantly with a smile painted on his face.

‘Zayn, hi!’ 

Liam always sounded so damn enthusiastic to see him and it made his smile a little more real.

‘Hey, Liam.’ He spotted the box of Maltesers clutched in Liam’s hand and couldn’t stop himself from groaning. ‘Are those for Saab?’

Liam looked down at the box and blushed, looking coy. ‘Yeah, they’re his favourite.’

The guilt in Zayn’s stomach twisted harder. ‘Yeah, I know. They’re mine too.’

Liam’s face seemed to light up. ‘Yeah? Maybe next time I’ll bring you a box as well.’

Zayn forced a grimace. ‘Thanks. Listen, Saab’s not in.’ Liam’s face fell. ‘He got called into work.’

‘Oh.’

He looked like a kicked puppy and Zayn was talking before he could really think about the consequences.

‘You could stay though? We’ve never really hung out properly and, I don’t know, I guess we could put a film on or something? Wouldn’t want this to have been a wasted journey for you or anything.’

Liam nibbled his lip thoughtfully and looked at the box of Maltesers in his hand and then back up at Zayn with a small smile. ‘Wouldn’t want these to go to waste either.’

Zayn grinned at him and stood aside, letting him into the house. ‘Make yourself at home.’ 

He watched Liam wander into the living room and then shut the door, turning the key in the lock as slowly as possible, biding his time. 

He wasn’t planning on making a move or even blurting out the secrets that had been burning him from the inside, but he was still nervous. They had never been alone in the same room together for more than fifteen minutes at a time and suddenly Zayn was wondering if he knew how to make conversation or even sit normally. _Shit, how did he normally sit?_

He shook himself, realising he sounded ridiculous, and boldly entered the living room, circumventing the sofa and sinking down onto the armchair farthest away from Liam.

Liam blinked at him bemusedly. ‘Why are you so far away? Do I smell?’

Zayn blanched and started stuttering, only to be met with another friendly laugh. 

‘I’m just kidding, it’s your house! Sit where you like,’ he assured. ‘Means I get more leg room anyway.’ He swung his legs up onto the sofa but then froze. ‘Can I put my feet on the sofa?’ he asked hurriedly, and Zayn just wanted to cuddle up to him and his manners.

‘Feel free,’ he waved, making a point of folding his own legs under himself on the armchair. ‘Mi casa es su casa.’

Liam beamed and stretched his legs out along the sofa, his jeans pulled tight against his strong thighs in a way that made Zayn want to curl up in a ball and cry.

‘What film did you want to watch then?’ 

Zayn looked up from Liam’s crotch quickly, but was glad to see that he was too preoccupied with scrolling through the TV guide.

‘I don’t mind. I’ve got a few on my laptop you could have a look through?’

He immediately dropped the remote. ‘Good, because there’s bugger all on the telly.’

‘Isn’t that always the way?’ Zayn joked, feeling like he couldn’t have thought of something more cliché to say. ‘I’ll be right back.’

When he returned with his laptop in hand, Liam had sat himself upright again and was patting the space next to him. He froze and his heart started pounding wildly, but he managed to cool his exterior to just a single raised eyebrow in question.

‘It’ll be easier,’ Liam explained, looking confused himself when Zayn still appeared blank. ‘Because the screen’s smaller on a laptop than a television?’

‘Oh!’ He kick-started back into action. ‘Sorry, mate. Brain-fart.’

Liam laughed. ‘No worries! Come on, show me what you’ve got.’

He sat himself down carefully next to Liam, putting about a foot of space between them, and thought about all the unsavoury things he could show Liam as he opened up his laptop.

‘Shit,’ he muttered under his breath, hurrying to open his videos folder to cover up the desktop wallpaper.

‘What?’ Liam leant forward so he could see the screen better and Zayn could almost hear his eyes popping out of his head. ‘Is that you?’

‘Urm. It was for charity,’ Zayn explained, feeling awkward. ‘Children in Need.’

Liam didn’t look away from the picture and Zayn chanced a look at his face, daring himself to believe he looked not just shocked but… intrigued? He liked the way his thick eyebrows were drawn together like he was concentrating but his eyes were wide and innocent, like he couldn’t quite comprehend what was happening. 

When he finally looked away from the laptop, Zayn was glad to know that they were both blushing.

‘You thought wearing nothing but trilby hats over your privates would be an appropriate way to raise money for kids?’

Zayn shrugged. ‘It worked, we raised a fair bit of money. I guess students are just really horny.’

‘Not surprised.’ His eyes flickered back to the screen. ‘You guys looked good.’

Zayn felt like someone could have probably cooked a full English breakfast on his face. 

‘Thanks,’ he mumbled. ‘Shall we, urm, pick a film?’

Liam considered him for a moment, making him feel like he was under interrogation for a crime he couldn’t help committing. 

‘Go for it,’ he said finally. ‘Got anything with superheroes in it?’

‘Ha! Do I have anything with superheroes in it he asks!’ Zayn declared as though talking to a crowd in a marketplace. ‘Look at my socks, mate,’ he added, resting one ankle on his knee.

‘Batman!’ Liam exclaimed excitedly. 

Zayn’s cheeks hurt with how hard he was smiling, but he nearly swallowed his whole face when Liam lifted up his shirt just enough to show him the waistband of his Batman boxers, unwittingly giving him an unprecedented view of the sturdy muscle that was often hidden underneath his simple clothes.

‘See?’

‘I-I see, yeah,’ Zayn stammered, tearing his eyes away to see Liam watching him eagerly. ‘We were obviously meant to find each other.’

Liam chuckled but Zayn honestly believed it.

‘Too right! Wouldn’t happen to have the new one on here, would you? I love Bane!’

‘I’m offended that you think I wouldn’t!’ Zayn joked. ‘I love him too. Tom Hardy is a genius.’

‘Plus he’s gorgeous. You know, when he hasn’t got that mask thing on his face.’

Zayn nodded, scrolling through his list of films. ‘Definitely, he’s so hot.’

‘Yeah?’ He sounded puzzled.

Zayn switched his attention from his library to Liam who was looking at him enquiringly. ‘What?’

‘Nothing, it’s just I didn’t know you were… you know.’ He looked faintly flustered.

Zayn blinked at him. 

‘Like me and Saab,’ Liam elucidated. 

Zayn scoffed. ‘I’m not like Saab.’ He ignored the almost anxious look Liam gave him and continued. ‘But yeah, I’m gay like you guys.’

‘Funny Saab never mentioned it,’ Liam mused.

‘Not really,’ he shrugged. ‘I can’t imagine I come up that much in conversation.’

It looked like Liam was about to protest but his mouth fell shut again and Zayn knew he was right.

‘Don’t feel guilty about it,’ he assured, opening up the film and muttering as an afterthought, ‘To be honest, I’m surprised he says anything at all.’

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ Liam asked reproachfully.

Zayn blanched and his fingers slipped on the scrollpad. ‘N-nothing.’ 

‘No, you meant something,’ he pressed, eyebrows furrowed.

‘No, no, I didn’t!’ Zayn insisted, casting around for ideas. ‘I just meant that, in my experience, Saab’s never really been big on… conversation.’

The tension left Liam’s shoulders and his expression was easy again. ‘Oh right.’

His mild indignation made Zayn a little curious but he didn’t want to say anything else to annoy him, and instead made a fuss over tilting the screen and turning up the volume. ‘Film?’

‘Go for it.’ He picked up the box of Maltesers and handed them to him with a smile. ‘May as well get started on these as well.’

-

They were about halfway through the film when Zayn became acutely aware of the weight pressing against his side and the arm he had resting along the back of the sofa behind Liam’s head. 

Liam himself seemed completely oblivious to the close proximity, but Zayn had never spent enough time around him to know whether or not he was an especially tactile person, having fallen for him from afar and in snatches of moments he held onto for far too long afterwards.

Either way, he knew he should probably try and put a bit of space between them, but the warmth was hard to give up.

Maybe he could even risk moving his hand so it rested on Liam’s shoulder, feather light. Or he could shuffle slightly and press their legs together just a little more. Or he could turn his head to the side and lean forward just the fraction he needed to, and press his lips to the strong jaw line that twitched as he silently quoted the film as it played out in front of them.

He did none of these things though, feeling a sudden pressure on his groin and nearly yelping until he realised that the box of Maltesers had ended up in his lap and Liam’s hand was digging around in it blindly.

‘Um.’ He coughed. ‘Liam?’

‘Shh, this is my favourite bit,’ he hushed, still fiddling around for a chocolate.

Zayn swallowed dryly. ‘You’re kind of… molesting me.’

Liam’s hand froze and he jerked away from him, looking like he had either been burnt or maybe caught kicking a kitten. 

‘Oh my god! I am so sorry!’

Zayn laughed uneasily, hoping he wouldn’t suddenly get a boner that knocked the box halfway across the room. ‘Don’t worry about it, it happens.’

Liam rubbed his hands over his face, looking thoroughly appalled with himself. ‘I honestly did not mean to do that.’

‘Seriously, it’s nothing,’ he promised, subtly arranging himself in his jeans. ‘It’s not like you were trying to feel me up on purpose.’

Liam laughed nervously. ‘Yeah, imagine if Saabir found out.’

Zayn instantly felt sick. ‘Mmm.’ Maybe they should have a bit more distance.

He scooted a bit further down the sofa and folded his arms over his chest, as if he could keep in the words that were threatening to come spilling out of him.

‘Zayn?’ Liam asked, voice full of concern. ‘Are you sure you’re okay? I didn’t upset you or anything, did I?’ 

He shook his head mutely, sure that if he opened his mouth then he might end up screaming the truth at him.

‘You’ve gone all weird,’ Liam stated sounding wounded with a fringe of perplexity. ‘Did you want me to leave?’

Zayn seriously considered saying yes, but he chanced one look at Liam’s crestfallen face and knew that he couldn’t.

‘Course not,’ he smiled, edging closer again. ‘Just me being silly.’

Liam relaxed and was soon fully engrossed in the film again, but Zayn’s mind was elsewhere until the credits were rolling and he still hadn’t made any move to close the screen.

‘Earth to Zayn,’ Liam said, waving a hand in front of his face. ‘Anyone there?’

Zayn shook himself and plastered on a fake smile, hoping it didn’t look too pained. ‘What a film!’ he enthused.

One thick eyebrow hitched up Liam’s forehead. ‘Just tell me what’s bothering you,’ he said bluntly.

‘Bothering me? Nothing’s bothering me,’ Zayn replied quickly.

‘No? Then why were you drifting around in space for the last forty five minutes of the film?’

Zayn winced, unsure how to explain his unease without outing his brother as a lying, cheating bastard. Unless…

‘Okay, I have a bit of a problem,’ he began carefully.

Liam turned to face him properly, his attention completely undivided and his face riddled with concern. ‘Go on, you can tell me.’

Zayn nibbled his lip, uncertain how to progress without giving it all away.

‘Right. Well, I have these two friends, yeah? I mean, the girl I don’t really know, but the guy, well, he means a lot to me.’ He paused, trying to straighten his story in his head. ‘And I found out a while ago that the girl has been sleeping around a bit and it turns out she’s only pretending to like my friend when really she doesn’t care.’

Liam nodded his head, holding his chin in his hand contemplatively.

‘So I really feel like I need to tell my friend the truth, but I don’t think I could be the one to do that to him, you know? I think he really likes her and it would destroy him.’ He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as he voiced his worst fear. ‘And he might hate me for it.’

‘Hey.’ Liam’s voice was gentle and he rested one hand on Zayn’s leg comfortingly, though it did more to set his heart racing. ‘Your friend won’t hate you. I mean, he might be a bit angry and it might seem like he’s angry at you, but you’re not the one that’s done anything wrong.’

‘But he might not believe me,’ Zayn said sadly, trying to find a fault in Liam’s face and failing. ‘He might just think I’m shit-stirring ‘cause I’m jealous he’s in a relationship and I’ve got no one.’

‘Well that’s not going to be the case for long, is it?’ Liam said optimistically. ‘Anyone would be lucky to have you.’

His heart might have skipped a beat. ‘Yeah?’

Liam studied him musingly, his lips curving upward in the softest of smiles. ‘Yeah.’

His expression was wrought with affection and sincerity, and Zayn should have done all that he could to keep that look on Liam’s face, but when you’re confronted with an angel it’s a sin to lie.

‘Saab’s cheating on you.’


End file.
